Uupdate on fuel supplement refunds: a ruling from the RCI legal department

[Dive Master]

Well, I was transferred to the resolution center, and then to an executive, and was repeatedly told NO! Since I changed the sail date, I am not entitled to the refund. Even though I made a deposit on any booking before Nov. 15, 2007. So, I don't know why I am not getting a refund and others are-I don't know what else I can do.

 

One "thing" you can do is to cancel the cruise and refuse to do any more business with a corporation that does not honor their contracts or the information they convey in their own brochures.I chose to tell RCCL "NO" after dealing with the C&A desk and the Resolutions dept.I loved it when the "clown" at the C&A desk told me that I had no choice but to pay their price increase (Fuel Surcharge). WRONG--I had a choice and I chose not to do business with Royal Caribbean International!

[grayesun]

Well, I was transferred to the resolution center, and then to an executive, and was repeatedly told NO! Since I changed the sail date, I am not entitled to the refund. Even though I made a deposit on any booking before Nov. 15, 2007. So, I don't know why I am not getting a refund and others are-I don't know what else I can do.

 

One "thing" you can do is to cancel the cruise and refuse to do any more business with a corporation that does not honor their contracts or the information they convey in their own brochures.I chose to tell RCCL "NO" after dealing with the C&A desk and the Resolutions dept.I loved it when the "clown" at the C&A desk told me that I had no choice but to pay their price increase (Fuel Surcharge). WRONG--I had a choice and I chose not to do business with Royal Caribbean International!

Dive Master, we've about reached this point also - of taking our cruising $$$ elsewhere. One more "royal" mis-adventure with RCI and we're absolutely off to try other lines; problem is after reading reviews about some of the problems with dining reservations on "freestyle cruising" or getting nickel & dimed to death by another competitor (NCL & Princess respectively) we always end up back with RCI. HAL, Carnival & Disney just don't appeal to us at all. I will continue to persue a refund of the fuel surcharge I paid in 12/07, having yet to receive any response after 3 inquiries.

[39august]

Sorry, I don't know how to post a link to the legal document. Perhaps those of you still fighting this out might suggest the person you speak with in the resolutions dept. take your conerns about the wording of the 2 case numbers I have listed here to their legal department to determine if RCI is upholding its legal obligations by denying your fuel refund. That was how I got my refund.

[willysgrandma]

Why don't you all call the Florida Attorney Generals Office and see what they say about the issues you are having? You may be able to file a complaint with them. It will probably be easier than dealing with RCL.

[grayesun]

Why don't you all call the Florida Attorney Generals Office and see what they say about the issues you are having? You may be able to file a complaint with them. It will probably be easier than dealing with RCL.

Thanks for the suggestion...just fired off a letter detailing our fuel surcharge debacle to Florida AG; let's see what happens now? After 3 letters to RCI with no response, anything will be welcomed.

[lady_cruiser]

39August - Thanks for letting us know and I am glad it worked out for you.

[39august]

grayesun- Please post the results of your letter to the AG's office! According to the legal document, RCI is to report quarterly the amount of fuel surcharge refunds made until all have been refunded. So I don't believe RCI is in compliance. This thread may be dead by then, so post a new thread if need be, please.

[grayesun]

grayesun- Please post the results of your letter to the AG's office! According to the legal document, RCI is to report quarterly the amount of fuel surcharge refunds made until all have been refunded. So I don't believe RCI is in compliance. This thread may be dead by then, so post a new thread if need be, please.

Absolutely will post any info back from FL-AG on fuel surcharge refund; frankly if i'd gotten an apology or explanantion from RCI, would have likely dropped the matter. It's not about the money...it's about the incompetence.

[CaroleSP]

Yes I changed to a different cruise, but the booking number remained the same. That booking number never changes unless you choose to cancel the booking altogether. If you book another cruise after cancelling the original, then sure, that new booking date would apply. I'm not here to argue with anyone about what "booking" means. I simply wanted to let folks know that RCI's legal department apparently looked at the legal document and agreed that the wording of it sustained my assertation that I was owed the fuel supplement refund, and it was credited to my account. And for katiel : case nos. L96-3-1198 and L07-3-1171 are on the document from the FL AG's office titled "In the Matter of Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD, Amendment to Assurance of Voluntary Compliance".

I am reading this from the top, so forgive me if this has already been mentioned.

 

My DM is having the same argument with Celebrity regarding a New England cruise for next month.

 

My dispute was was going to be that if I chose to change cruise/dates/ship, etc. and there was a special "new booking only" deal, it would not be allowed as the original booking date and deposit was made a week/month/year ago and would not qualify.you had made the original deposit and booking a month/year ago. They can't have it both ways, if they have always said that the original booking date determines if something is a new booking, how can they not grandfather the fuel charge exemption?

[uksimonusa]

Well just had an email from RCI corporate guest relations, suprised they work on Sundays, saying that after reviewing my email,which included references to the FLAG agreement, that were atanding behind their previous decision, and I would not be getting a refund:mad:

[Merion_Mom]

I am reading this from the top, so forgive me if this has already been mentioned.

 

My DM is having the same argument with Celebrity regarding a New England cruise for next month.

 

My dispute was was going to be that if I chose to change cruise/dates/ship, etc. and there was a special "new booking only" deal, it would not be allowed as the original booking date and deposit was made a week/month/year ago and would not qualify.you had made the original deposit and booking a month/year ago. They can't have it both ways, if they have always said that the original booking date determines if something is a new booking, how can they not grandfather the fuel charge exemption?

 

But they can, and they do. That is precisely the wording that I used to argue with them.

 

I did not change my booking number, but I changed cruises. They slapped the fuel surcharge on there. So I called C&A and said, "Well, if you are charging me for the fuel since you consider this a new booking, then you have to accept my coupon which is for bookings only made within this time period."

 

They didn't accept the coupon. :( (and basically *shrugged* on the phone)

 

Yes, I was P.O.'ed. But I still took the cruise and had a wonderful time. Do I wish that they had been more reasonable about it? Of course.

 

Basically, if, like pcur, you were NOT charged because you had already made a booking, but then moved it, you "won" the crapshoot. I lost.

[CaroleSP]

I spoke to DM yesterday and she said =X= is firmly standing on their decision to hang on to the $. They told her the AG has reviewed the situation and =X= is within their rights to disallow the grandfathering of the the exemption.

[PH8]

What about cases like:

 

Booked a cruise in Jan(for a Oct trip)..........

 

Changed it in May for a July trip......

 

Paid in full a few days later..........(inc the $5 FS) zero balance reflected on my confirmation..

 

Changed cabins a month later................new total?? I owed them $18($3 more fs a day x 3 days).......I got charged the newest FS..

 

 

They never called me to tell me I owed........I noticed in MY CRUISES.........

 

 

I called RCCL a couple of days before the cruise(for something unrelated) and the rep said BTW--you owe us $18 more.......What could I do at that point?? I paid.........didnt need any problems at check in at the port.......

 

To me, that is not fair...............got charged the higher FS just cuz i changed rooms..........

[aqhacruiser]

My 4/25/08 cruise was booked in early 2007. They applied the first fuel charge to it which we paid at final pmt. When it was decided they had to refund the money we did receive a letter onboard the 4/25 stating our fuel charges were refunded as OBC which they were. The fuel charges for all the other cruises I had booked prior to any fuel charges being applied were dropped from them so I pay no fuel charges for my other 2 cruises this year and I pay the 5.00 rate for my 2009 ones I have booked.

However at one point several months ago they were all showing as the 8.00 on my online acct and I called C & A and they were removed on the 2 I have coming up in 08 and reduced back to the 5.00 on the 2009 ones so you do have to watch them on that. They said the system automatically added/raised the fuel charge prices.

[aqhacruiser]

Just to note also. I have several Next Cruises I purchased in early June 2007 before any fuel charges were announced. I booked my 2009 cruises in March 08 when dates were released with a few of the Next Cruises and I had to pay the 5.00 fuel charge even though my booking numbers on the Next Cruises were actually purchased and assigned prior to any fuel charges in 2007. I was told that the current fuel charges were being applied based on the date when I booked the sail dates. It's the same booking number on a Next Cruise like it would be if you switched a booking so they may be looking at switching a cruise date the same way and you pay the going rate at the time you book/switch a cruise. When I booked the 1/14/2010 a couple of months ago still using a Next Cruise from June 2007 I was then charged the going fuel rate at the time of 8.00. It didn't seem fair to me either as they didn't have any fuel charges when I put deposits down on all those Next Cruises in June 2007 but that's the way it went.

[Don Pedro]

Here is another log for the fire. RCCL is applying their same line of thinking to instances where the fuel surcharge has increased. We had done a next cruise booking when the fuel chage was $35 pp. When we actually selected the cruise it had been increased to $56 pp and we were charged the new rate. Further, they tell us that if we alter the current booking it would automatically trigger a raise in our fuel charge to $70 pp.

 

The price of crude has dropped about 20% from its highs. We can't help but wonder if they ever reduce the fuel charge supplement will a booking change automatically trigger a fuel charge decrease. We suspect that RCCL's present policy will quickly be reversed.

 

We understand the need for the fuel charge, but feel RCCL's policy could be applied more fairly and that its terms and conditions should be better conveyed to its customers.

[DVC_Chris]

When I converted my NextCruise booking they told me over the phone, and sent me an invoice, that the Fuel Surcharge would be $5 per person, per day. When I gave the booking to my TA, their invoice, had a fuel surcharge of $10 per person per day. RCCL's resolution department told me that their agent applied the incorrect surcharge when I converted by next cruise booking, but they are not willing to honor the original invoice. This infuriates me to no end. I feel if I am quoted and invoiced a price, they should honor that price.

[MD VBMom]

Thanks for the info. They continue to also deny me the same. They insist that even though I have the same booking number that the date I changed the booking is the date they go off of for the fuel supplement.

 

This happened to us too. We changed our reservation to another ship and the booking number remained the same. At the time we made the change I was told by the RCCL rep that she thought we might be charged the new (higher) fuel supplement. She said we would be notified via email in 3-5 days if there would be an increase. I voiced my opinion that I thought it would be unfair to add the additional fee given they used the same booking number and they still had our money. Of course, that got me no where. Well, that was back in June. I didn't get an email, so I assumed they waived the additional fuel fee. When I went to make final payment two weeks ago I called to reconfirm the payoff amount and that's when they mentioned adding an additional $54 for each of two reservations for fuel. Very frustrating...and I think, unfair.

[grayesun]

grayesun- Please post the results of your letter to the AG's office! According to the legal document, RCI is to report quarterly the amount of fuel surcharge refunds made until all have been refunded. So I don't believe RCI is in compliance. This thread may be dead by then, so post a new thread if need be, please.

One week since letter submitted to Florida AG requesting some attention or a resolution to this matter. Hearing nothing but crickets.

[Seas the moment]

Not to confuse matters, but I understand the need to charge a fuel supplement for the unforeseen increased cost of fuel. That said, I just booked Oasis for January 2010. I think the fuel charge should be included in the base price for the new listings and itineraries. RCCL makes the cabin category base price attractive and then adds the taxes and fuel supplement. They have been given a license to pocket an additional $140 or more for each cabin. Coincidentally, gas prices have decreased while the fuel charges have increased. I think the newly released prices should reflect the current cost of fuel and the supplement should be done away with. JMHO

[grayesun]

Received today 9/5/08 - 9 days after submittal;

 

Attorney General Bill McCollum received your correspondence regarding the cruise fuel surcharge imposed by Royal Caribbean cruise line. Attorney General McCollum asked that I respond on his behalf.

Attorney General McCollum is concerned about all potentially unfair and deceptive trade practices, including representations that may mislead consumers. Thank you for alerting our office to the fact that you have not yet heard from Royal Caribbean regarding your refund. I am forwarding your correspondence to the Attorney General's Economic Crime section for review. If we need further information, we will contact you.

I appreciate your concerns, and again, thank you for contacting Attorney General McCollum.

Sincerely,

Raena Wright

Office of Citizen Services

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL. THIS ADDRESS IS FOR PROCESSING ONLY.

To contact this office please visit the Attorney General's website at www.myfloridalegal.com and fill out the on-line contact form. Again, thank you for contacting the Office of the Florida Attorney General.

[sisocialworker]

Not to confuse matters, but I understand the need to charge a fuel supplement for the unforeseen increased cost of fuel. That said, I just booked Oasis for January 2010. I think the fuel charge should be included in the base price for the new listings and itineraries. RCCL makes the cabin category base price attractive and then adds the taxes and fuel supplement. They have been given a license to pocket an additional $140 or more for each cabin. Coincidentally, gas prices have decreased while the fuel charges have increased. I think the newly released prices should reflect the current cost of fuel and the supplement should be done away with. JMHO

 

these and other "surcharges" help pay the mortgage on oasis ( class) ships, even if you don't sail on them:cool:

[99florida]

We had booked a future cruise on our Thanksgiving cruise last Nov. but it was I believe the 22nd. We had a $5.00 per person a day rate.

 

About 3 months ago, we used that booking # to book a Thanksgiving cruse for this year.

 

Well, two weeks ago, we decided to change date and ship for April 2009 and even though we kept the same booking number they are now charging us $10. per person per day.

 

I questioned the fuel charge rate change and they said that even though we have the same booking # because we changed ships we lose the $5 original fuel rate.

 

Is this wrong info. that we received??

[VillaHappy]

This is all so sad.

 

We booked a cruise before the announcement and also had to change, due to a illness/hospitalization.

 

RCI added the fuel to the new booking, however, we were within the "get a free gift" for the fuel charge time. We were thinking 'great another keychain' :eek:

 

As the sail date got closer, we heard that the gifts given were free cookbooks and other nicer items. Well, not so bad at least we were getting something, RCI really did not need to give us a thing.

 

A few days into the cruise and we asked about the "Free gift". I even had a print out of the announcement of the free gift. They informed me RCI was no longer giving out the free gift. :(

 

That really sucks! :( Surely they could reach into their prize closet and give you something!

[39august]

grayesun - I'd say that sounds pretty hopeful for our arguments. Please keep us posted.